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 Women's
Basketball
2007-2008 Season Outlook
After going 30-3 and finishing seventh at the NJCAA Division I national tournament a year ago, the MCC Lady Tribunes will once again be setting lofty goals in 2007-2008. The main objective, as always, is to win a national title.
MCC had won three straight national championships before the 2006-2007 campaign, where a first-round loss to Northeastern Oklahoma knocked the Tribunes from contention. But a reloaded MCC team is looking to clear that loss from its memory.
Head coach Tim Parrinello welcomes plenty of new faces to this year’s team. Only two players logged significant minutes for the Lady Tribunes a year ago, with 11 new players ready to step in and contribute right away.
Sophomore forwards Caila Desroches and Kristina Rosario return to give Monroe a potent presence in the paint. Both played backup roles last season but gained much-needed experience at the national tournament.
Coach Parrinello has brought in some transfers who have experience and talent. Sophomore guard Jimerea Lee played at the University of Central Florida before transferring to Monroe. Allyssa Lane and Natalie Young have transferred in from Seminole CC and Essex CC, respectively. Both players will see time at the guard spot.
The 2007 recruiting class has some of the most talented guards in the country. Charmonique Watt, a highly-recruited shooting guard from Brooklyn, and Kimberly Brown, a major talent out of Hayward, Cal. are both on board in the backcourt. Brittany Hilliard, a Syracuse University signee who led Washington, D.C. high schools in scoring last year, will also see plenty of minutes.
A late signee for Monroe was Keona Jones, a post player who plays with lots of energy. These players, along with Kamiel Brown of Brooklyn, Regina Washington of Harlem, and Tasha Cannon of Atlantic City, N.J. will form one of the most talented teams ever at Monroe.
“We are going to be a lot different from last year’s team,” said Parrinello. “I expect us to play a little bit faster and play more players this season.”
Parrinello has amassed an incredible 336-29 record in his first 11 years as head coach, including four national championships. His teams have run off an amazing 120-9 record the last four years, with three of those culminating with national championships.
The Tribunes also have an incredible home court winning streak intact as well. MCC’s last loss at home came on Feb. 4, 1998 against Genesee CC, and the Tribunes have won 124 in a row since then. Parrinello’s home record is a sterling 145-1.
“We have the toughest non-conference schedule in the country,” said the coach. “We will know how good we are going to be before the end of the first semester.”
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